Potent Potables

Welcome to my page, where I explore the Fruits and the Spirits! I am a very beginner taster, trying to find and remember the wines and beers I try and like. I am not the hoity-toity connoisseur, and I usually only buy the cheap stuff. If you have any suggestions that I should try, feel free to leave a comment!

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

I have had a few people recommend this one to me, so I finally broke down and tried it. (Besides, it was on sale). Lately I have been in more of a red wine phase, so I wasn't really sure if I would like it. Trying it, though, I was very pleased. For a chardonnay, it is pretty sweet. It isn't quite Riesling sweet, but has a good balance. It might be due to the power of suggestion, but I swear I taste a hint of vanilla frosting. On the swallow there is the characteristic bite of a white wine, but it is not sharp or overpowering. This would make a fantastic desert wine, perhaps paired with some cupcakes. :)

Saturday, January 29, 2011

I decided to break from wine for a bit to try some seasonal beers. So glad I did! Tonight's brew is a porter from MacTarnahan's Brewing Co. in Portland, Oregon. On the label it describes it as "a rich, holiday porter...a deceptively dark holiday ale decking the halls with cheer."

It is deceptively dark. The color is very black, and it has a substantial, long lasting, and frothy head. Appearances aside, it is not nearly as heavy as I'd expect. The strongest taste I get is chocolate, and it doesn't have that strong bitter aftertaste of some other dark beers. Hooray for winter seasonals!

Friday, September 10, 2010

Mmm mmm! Either there are delicious fairies frolicing in my mouth, or I've had an extraordinarily long week. Either way, I give this wine a big thumbs-up. As a Reisling, it is definitely sweet, but not overpoweringly so. It has just enough spice hidden under the surface to balance the sweetness. It seems like there is a slight carbonation, which gives it a bit more of a 'wine cooler' feeling without the sugar coma. High on the fruity-floral scale, but I could see it appealing to a diverse group of wine-drinkers. My opinion is that this would be a good wine to serve to those dissidents who don't usually like wine.